With a little multitasking (and some help in the kitchen), you can create a quick holiday dinner. These easy Thanksgiving dishes—apps, sides and desserts—can each be made in 30 minutes or less!
45 Easy Thanksgiving Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less
Updated on Oct. 08, 2024
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Quick Green Beans with Bacon
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Green beans, bacon, onion
Level: Beginner
These green beans make for such an easy side dish. They’re light and smoky, which sets you up perfectly for the main event.
Green beans with bacon and onions makes such an easy side dish. Fresh beans lend a crisp, bright flavor to any meal. They’re best when served hot. —Recipe contributor Mari Anne Warren, Milton, Wisconsin
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Sweet Potato Biscuits with Honey Butter
Total Time: 30 minutesMain Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, butter, honey, cinnamon
Level: Beginner
Served with cinnamon-honey butter, these sweet biscuits can fit into any part of your day. These airy and fluffy biscuits will warm your heart and fill your stomach.
We often think of sweet potatoes in a supporting role as a side dish, mashed, baked whole, cubed and roasted. Here’s another thought—why not give them a starring role for breakfast when made into biscuits? Served with cinnamon-honey butter, they’re all kinds of awesome. —Recipe contributor Cathy Bell, Joplin, Missouri
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Special Creamed Corn
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Heavy whipping cream, corn, butter
Level: Beginner
This special creamed corn is just that. It’s rich, dense and creamy, making it the perfect accompaniment to any meat you might have on the table.
This side has earned a permanent place on our special-occasion menus. While my whole family loves it, my son would be especially disappointed if I forgot to include our corn dish. —Recipe contributor Deb Hauptmann, Mohnton, Pennsylvania
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Sweet ‘n’ Tangy Carrots
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Carrots, brown sugar, Dijon mustard
Level: Beginner
Sweet potatoes usually steal the show for their savory but dessert-like role. But with an irresistible brown sugar-mustard sauce, these simple carrots will grab people’s attention.
With an irresistible brown sugar-mustard sauce, these simple simmered carrots bring bright flavor and color to the table. —Recipe contributor Paula Zsiray, Logan, Utah
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Moist Pumpkin Scones
Total Time: 30 minutesMain Ingredients: Canned pumpkin, brown sugar, flour
Level: Beginner
For a nice breakfast, dessert or even a sweet appetizer, these cozy pumpkin scones go great with your coffee. They taste like fall with a delectable sugar glaze on top.
After trying a pumpkin scone at a coffee house, I was inspired to look for a recipe to try at home. The glaze nicely complements the pumpkin flavor. —Recipe contributor Amy McCavour, Gresham, Oregon
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Maple-Glazed Green Beans
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Green beans, bacon, maple syrup
Level: Beginner
This savory side dish is packed with fall flavors. With dried cranberries, bacon and a bourbon-maple glaze, these green beans are sweet, tangy and savory.
After I picked my first green beans of the season one year, I wanted to make a savory side dish that was unique, quick and packed with flavor. I loved this so much I couldn’t stop eating it. The next day I picked more beans and made this delicious side dish again. —Recipe contributor Merry Graham, Newhall, California
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Pumpkin Cheese Ball
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Cream cheese, canned pumpkin, sharp cheddar cheese
Level: Beginner
Even though it looks like a pumpkin, you might not be able to tell that the secret ingredient is pumpkin. pumpkin add sweetness to the cream cheese and cheddar mixture while giving it a nice harvest color.
No one will guess that this make-ahead pumpkin cheese ball has pumpkin in it, but that subtle ingredient lends harvest color and added nutrition. —Recipe contributor Linnea Rein, Topeka, Kansas
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Garlic-Ginger Turkey Tenderloins
Total Time: 30 minutesMain Ingredients: Gingerroot, garlic, turkey breast tenderloins
Level: Beginner
This is a quickly thrown together entree that is still just as moist as a whole baked turkey. The sauce is tangy and garlicky.
This good-for-you entree can be on your dinner plates quicker than Chinese takeout—and for a lot less money! Ginger and brown sugar flavor the sauce that spices up the turkey as it bakes. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
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Cranberry Fluff
Total Time: 10 minutesMain Ingredients: Cranberries, marshmallows, heavy whipping cream
Level: Beginner
This light side dish is made with pantry staples. It comes together in just 10 minutes.
This fluffy fruit salad gets its sweet-tart flavor from cranberries and whipped cream. We like it because it’s not as sweet as many other “fluffs.” I’m often asked for the secret to this luscious holiday salad. —Recipe contributor Lavonne Hartel, Williston, North Dakota
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Hurry-Up Biscuits
Total Time: 30 minutesMain Ingredients: Flour, baking powder, heavy whipping cream
Level: Beginner
The name doesn’t lie, these hurry-up biscuits are done is just half and hour. They are soft, are quick to prep and only have five ingredients.
When I was young, my mom would make these biscuits with fresh cream she got from a local farmer. I don’t go to those lengths, but the family recipe is still a real treat. —Recipe contributor Beverly Sprague, Baltimore, Maryland
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Apple Maple Pecan Salad
Total Time: 15 minutesMain Ingredients: Maple syrup, Granny Smith apples, pecans
Level: Beginner
Put your apples to use! This fall salad is sweet and crunchy, while still looking great on a table.
A well-made salad has good taste and pleasing crunch. This one with cabbage, apples and pecans gets high marks in both, with extra points for color contrast. —Recipe contributor Emily Tyra, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Skillet Sausage Stuffing
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Pork sausage, sage, stuffing mix
Level: Beginner
You can even use breakfast sausage in this quick and savory stuffing. By using a packaged stuffing mix, this is a convenient and ready-made side.
To make this sausage stuffing, I dressed up a package of stuffing mix with pork sausage, mushrooms, celery and onion. It impressed my in-laws at a family gathering and has since become a popular side dish with my husband and children. —Recipe contributor Jennifer Lynn Cullen, Taylor, Michigan
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German-Style Cabbage and Beans
Total Time: 30 minutesMain Ingredients: Red cabbage, green beans, bacon
Level: Beginner
This pretty cabbage dish is prefect for a potluck. Just double the recipe and everyone will fawn over the savory and smoky side dish.
This is one of my greatest hits for a potluck dish at church suppers. If you use some red cabbage, it will have very festive colors, light pink with green. It looks so pretty. —Recipe contributor Winifred Winch, Wetmore, Michigan
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Pumpkin & Cauliflower Garlic Mash
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Cauliflower, garlic, solid-pack pumpkin
Level: Beginner
Did you know you could make mashed potatoes out of pumpkin and cauliflower? It’s still just as creamy as traditional mashed potatoes, but with a bit of sweetness from the pumpkin that makes it memorable.
I wanted healthy alternatives to my family’s favorite recipes. Pumpkin, cauliflower and thyme make an amazing dish. You’ll never miss those plain old mashed potatoes. —Recipe contributor Kari Wheaton, South Beloit, Illinois
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Spinach, Apple & Pecan Salad
Total Time: 15 minutesMain Ingredients: Baby spinach, apples, pecans
Level: Beginner
When you don’t have your usual salad fixings on hand, give this light and tangy salad a try. With cranberries and bacon, it has the smoky sweetness of a Thanksgiving dinner without any of the heaviness, making it a great starter dish.
One day, company was on the way, and I forgot to buy salad fixings. Scavenging the fridge for ingredients, I pulled these together and invented a salad superstar. —Recipe contributor Kelly Walsh, Aviston, Illinois
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Triple Mash with Horseradish Bread Crumbs
Total Time: 30 minutesMain Ingredients: Yukon Gold potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, horseradish
Level: Beginner
These triple mashed potatoes have rutabaga and parsnips, along with the zip of horseradish. Topped with breadcrumbs, they go great with any meat.
Why settle for traditional mashed potatoes when you can enjoy three times the flavor? Combine spuds with rutabaga and parsnips, along with the zip of horseradish, for a taste treat. —Recipe contributor Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia
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Cheese & Garlic Biscuits
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Biscuit/baking mix, sharp cheddar cheese, garlic powder
Level: Beginner
Just like your favorite restaurant, these biscuits are the perfect accompaniment to a hearty dinner. They’re just as cheesy as they are garlicky.
My biscuits won the prize for best quick bread at my county fair. One of the judges liked them so much, she asked for the recipe! These buttery, savory biscuits go with just about anything. —Recipe contributor Gloria Jarrett, Loveland, Ohio
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Festive Cranberry Fruit Salad
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries
Level: Beginner
A fruit salad is a nice light option to offer guests. It comes together quickly, so whip it up in the morning and store in the fridge until dinner.
This fruit salad is a tradition on my Christmas table. It goes together quickly, which is a plus on such a busy day. —Recipe contributor Rousheen Arel Wolf, Delta Junction, Alaska
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Roasted Green Beans with Lemon & Walnuts
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Green beans, lemon zest, walnuts
Level: Beginner
The walnuts in this dish make them more fall-centric than your usual roasted green beans. With a hint of lemon zest, they’re bright with a delightful crunch.
I first tasted roasted green beans in a Chinese restaurant and fell in love with the texture and flavor. This is my Americanized version and it’s always a big hit at our holiday table. —Recipe contributor Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia
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Merry Berry Salad
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Mixed salad greens, cranberries, apples
Level: Beginner
This sweet and tart salad is full of texture. From chewy cranberries to crunchy apples, this holiday side dish is sure to please.
Dried cranberries, crunchy apple chunks and toasted almonds dress up this crisp green salad. It’s drizzled with a sweet-tart dressing that’s a snap to blend. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
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Simple Lemon Parsley Potatoes
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Red potatoes, lemon juice, parsley
Level: Beginner
Thanksgiving dinner usually includes mashed potatoes, but why not give these chopped and roasted potatoes a try? With only four ingredients, they take to any other flavors on the table.
For a simply delicious side dish, I often prepare these potatoes. I like the fact that there are few ingredients and they take such little time to prepare. —Recipe contributor Dorothy Pritchett, Wills Point, Texas
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Taste-of-Fall Salad
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Spring mix salad greens, pears, pecan halves
Level: Beginner
This sweet and savory salad has pears, pecans and cinnamon to really capture the feeling of fall. With a mustard and cheese dressing, the flavors meld in an artful way.
My parents stayed with me at a friend’s beautiful ranch for the holidays and I made them this great salad. It turned into every night’s first course. —Recipe contributor Kristin Kossak, Bozeman, Montana
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Dill & Chive Peas
Total Time: 10 minutesMain Ingredients: Frozen peas, dill, chives
Level: Beginner
Dill, chives and lemon-pepper seasoning make these peas pop. This combination of seasonings gives a nice tanginess that you don’t normally find with peas.
Growing my own vegetables and herbs helps keep things fresh in the kitchen, but frozen peas make this side is a breeze to prepare. —Recipe contributor Tanna Richard, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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Garlic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Brussels sprouts, garlic cloves, Dijon mustard
Level: Beginner
Did you know that Brussels sprouts are part of the mustard family? It makes sense that this combination works so well!
Don’t be afraid to bring out the roasted Brussels sprouts. Mellowed with mustard sauce, they may just delight even the most skeptical folks. —Recipe contributor Becky Walch, Orland, California
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Creamy Cranberry Salad
Total Time: 15 minutesMain Ingredients: Cranberries, heavy whipping cream, crushed pineapple
Level: Beginner
You can’t go wrong with a cranberry salad on Thanksgiving. This one has a fun assortment of fruits like pineapple and apple. With a creamy marshmallow coating and some crunchy almonds, it’s the perfect sweet side.
One of my piano students taught me the perfect lesson in holiday recipes: this fresh cranberry salad. The keys are tangy fruit, fluffy marshmallows and crunchy nuts. —Recipe contributor Alexandra Lypecky, Dearborn, Michigan
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Bacon-Stuffed Mushrooms
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Bacon, mushrooms, cream cheese
Level: Beginner
These smoky stuffed mushrooms only have five ingredients. Bacon really does go with everything.
I first tried these bubbly treats at my sister-in-law’s house. The tender mushroom caps and creamy filling were so fabulous that I had to get the recipe. It’s hard to believe how simple, fast and easy they are. —Recipe contributor Angela Coffman, Kansas City, Missouri
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Triple Cranberry Sauce
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Cranberries, dried cranberries, cranberry juice concentrate
Level: Beginner
Orange juice, marmalade and zest make this cranberry sauce a triple threat. Allspice adds just the right amount of spice to this sweet and tart dish.
Cranberry fans will ask for this sauce again and again. It’s loaded with their favorite fruit—in fresh, dried and juice form. Orange and allspice make it awesome. —Recipe contributor Arlene Smulski, Lyons, Illinois
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Delicious Apple Salad
Total Time: 15 minutesMain Ingredients: Apples, miniature marshmallows, fat-free mayonnaise
Level: Beginner
Fruit salad is a nostalgic side dish that’s so sweet it might as well be dessert. Toss everything together and refrigerate until ready to serve.
This yummy fruit salad was a favorite of my great-grandmother’s. My family always enjoys it, and I’m happy knowing it’s good for them, too. —Recipe contributor Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
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Green Beans Amandine
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Green beans, almonds, butter
Level: Beginner
Crunchy almonds, butter and lemon juice really work together to bring out the natural earthiness of green beans. It’s an easy recipe to throw together.
It’s hard to improve on the taste Mother Nature gives to fresh green beans, but Mom has done just that for years using this green beans amandine recipe. I have always thought the crunchy almonds were a super addition. —Recipe contributor Brenda DuFresne, Midland, Michigan
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Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Quick-cooking oats, raisins, cranberries, white baking chips
Level: Beginner
These cookies are chewy and full of holiday spirit. The red spattering from the raisins and cranberries gives this dessert a nice splash of color.
Dotted with cranberries, orange zest and vanilla chips, these cookies are so colorful and fun to eat. They look lovely on a dessert tray and would be a great addition to your Christmas cookie lineup. —Recipe contributor Pat Habiger, Spearville, Kansas
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Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans
Bacon-wrapped green beans are like little bundles of savoriness. Fresh green beans and your favorite bacon create a tasty and impressive-looking side dish.
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Perfect Winter Salad
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Spring mix salad greens, apples, dried cherries
Level: Beginner
This salad is colorful and textured with a nice creamy dressing to tie it all together. Dried cherries give it a nice pop of winter.
This is my most-requested salad recipe. Serve it as a side salad along with your holiday meal, or enjoy it for lunch the next day with cubed turkey or chicken on top. —Recipe contributor DeNae Shewmake, Burnsville, Minnesota
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Grandma’s Cranberry Stuff
Total Time: 10 minutesMain Ingredients: Cranberries, naval orange, sugar
Level: Beginner
With oranges and walnuts, this cranberry stuff is sweet and crunchy. This simple recipe is a great complement to any roast pork, ham, turkey or chicken.
What could taste better than turkey and cranberry on Thanksgiving Day? My grandmother’s classic recipe makes the best cranberry stuff to share with your family and friends this holiday. —Recipe contributor Catherine Cassidy, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Mushroom and Spinach Saute
Total Time: 10 minutesMain Ingredients: Mushrooms, baby spinach, garlic cloves
Level: Beginner
This quick garlic side is a great way to get your veggies in. It’s an easy addition to a big dinner.
Mushrooms and spinach make a super fast combination that’s perfect for two. And it’s easy to double or triple for a crowd. —Recipe contributor Pauline Howard, Lago Vista, Texas
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Gruyere Mashed Potatoes
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Gruyere cheese, potatoes, sour cream
Level: Beginner
Gruyere cheese and sour cream add a bright tartness to mashed potatoes. They’re rich and cheesy but not too heavy.
Gruyere cheese and chives take mashed potatoes to a whole new level this holiday season! Don’t have chives? Just use extra green onion instead. —Recipe contributor Preci D’Silva, Dubai, AE
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No-Fuss Rolls
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Self-rising flour, mayonnaise, milk
Level: Beginner
These rolls really are no-fuss. They’re light and fluffy without too much effort.
With only 4 ingredients, these delicious rolls are ready in no time. They’re fantastic with herb butter or jam. —Recipe contributor Glenda Trail, Manchester, Tennessee
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Chive Buttered Carrots
Total Time: 25 minutesMain Ingredients: Carrots, butter, chives
Level: Beginner
This easy side dish pairs well with any entree, especially turkey. With just five ingredients, the chive butter really complements the carrots’ natural sweetness.
It’s nice to have a reliable side dish like this that pairs well with any entree. A friend shared the recipe with me several years ago, and I use it often. —Recipe contributor Opan Snell, Jamestown, Ohio
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Marinated Olives
Total Time: 10 minutesMain Ingredients: Pimiento-stuffed olives, kalamata olives, garlic cloves
Level: Beginner
For a simple Thanksgiving appetizer you can make in advance, it doesn’t get any easier than these marinated olives. Whip ’em up in five minutes and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Our son often made these olives for holiday get-togethers. They are simple to make and add a little zest to the other offerings on the buffet table. —Recipe contributor Marguerite Shaeffer, Sewell, New Jersey
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Hot Spinach Apple Salad
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Bacon, spinach, red apples
Level: Beginner
Smoky bacon and sweet apples combine in this crunchy salad. This balanced dish is served hot.
With a light sweet-tangy dressing, the spinach doesn’t wilt and the apples retain their crunch. We serve this salad with homemade bread. —Recipe contributor Denise Albers, Freeburg, Illinois
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Caramel Pumpkin Dip
Total Time: 10 minutesMain Ingredients: Canned pumpkin, caramel ice cream topping, cream cheese
Level: Beginner
Need a sweet snack for guests to nibble on as they wait for the turkey to finish cooking? This easy pumpkin dip will certainly do. Serve with vanilla wafers, graham crackers or apple slices.
Served with vanilla wafers, graham cracker sticks or even apple slices, this cool, creamy dip from our home economists makes a special autumn snack. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
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Easy Onion Crescent Rolls
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Refrigerated crescent rolls, french-fried onions, egg
Level: Beginner
Topped with french fried onions, these easy rolls are a great way to add some pizazz to a tube of crescent roll dough. They’ll taste like a whole new side!
Here’s a deliciously easy way to dress up a tube of crescent roll dough. These golden bites are one of our favorite recipes—and they’re a nice addition to any buffet. We like them so much, I usually triple the recipe. —Recipe contributor Barbara Nowakowski, North Tonawanda, New York
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Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash
Total Time: 30 minutesMain Ingredients: Acorn squash, spicy pork sausage, onion
Level: Beginner
Acorn squash is a seasonal vegetable that encompasses all the coziness of fall. Spicy pork sausage makes the dish more filling while adding some heat.
Acorn squash gets the sweet and savory treatment when stuffed with sausage, onion, spinach and cranberries to make this cozy main dish. Cooking the squash in the microwave is an easy solution for a busy weeknight. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
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Best Curried Pumpkin Soup
Total Time: 20 minutesMain Ingredients: Canned pumpkin, vegetable broth, curry powder
Level: Beginner
A quick pumpkin soup will be a welcome addition to your Thanksgiving table. Serve it before or with the main course.
I whipped this up for my family on Thanksgiving, and everyone was crazy about it! Even my brother, who is one of the pickiest eaters I know, asked for seconds of this curry pumpkin soup. —Recipe contributor Kimberly Knepper, Euless, Texas
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Harvard Beets
Try not to judge beets until you’ve sampled a dish of these sweet, sour and silky Harvard beets. The thick, velvety sauce, vibrant color and assertive flavors will convert any skeptic.
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Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Cauliflower mashed potatoes are a great substitute for the real thing, whether you're low-carbing or just want a lighter side dish for those hot summer evenings. They're just as quick and easy as potatoes, and every bit as tasty.
